Kaushik
Encyclopedia
Kaushik/Koushik is ancient India
n'Gotra
' applied to an indo-aryan clan. Origin of Kaushik can be referenced to an ancient Hindu text. There was a Rishi
(saint) by the name of "Vishvamitra" literally meaning 'friend of the universe','vishwa' as in universe and mitra as in 'friend', he was also called as Rishi "Kaushik". Vishvamitra is famous in many legendary stories and in different works of Hindu mythology
. It most notably refers to Chhatrapati Shivaji.
Kousikh Gotra
People belonging to Kaushika (Kaushik/Kousikh/Kousikasa/Kousikha/Kausika/Ghrit kaushika) Gotra take Rajarishi Kaushika as their root. Kaushika was son of Vishvamitra.11 96 of the royal clans of Marathas belong to Kaushik gotra including the illustrious house of Shivaji and Rashtrakutas. 2 more clans belong to the Vishvamitra gotra. Kaushika gotra also belongs to Baish clan of rajput which includes in the suryavanshi rajput, one of the oldest and biggest Kshatriya/Chattari clan of Vedic India.
Kousikh/Kaushik is a gotra of influential Cchatri´s as well as Brahmins (he who does priestly labour) of Punjab and Haryana also some Anavil Brahmins (Desai) from Gujarat. Brahmins consider themselves the descendants of the seven main sages, Angiras, Bhrugu, Vishvamitra, Kashyap, Vasishtha, Atri and Agasti. Of these sages Vishvamitra was part Kshatriya (descendant of thhouse of Puru) , so Kaushik gotra is also of Kshatriyas.
Its origin lies in the Rig-Veda; ancient Sanskrit
language. Kaushik was the son of Kushika an Indian Kshatriya legend.
Visvamitra Gotra People belonging to the Visvamitra Gotra consider Brahmarishi Visvamitra as their ancestor.
There is an off-shoot of "Vishvamitra Gotra" called "Chakita Vishvamitra Gotra". Two explanations have been suggested for this off-shoot. The group is supposed to have sprung from a "surprised" reaction of Vishvamitra. The other, more likely, explanation, is that a group of descendants decided to split from the main group and started their own branch of this line.
Vishvamitra descendants still use Kaushik as their first or last name. This is how majority of the Hindu names were followed. This system of following Rishis' name as the last name was the foundation of "Gautra" in Hindu philosophy. Gautra is used to trace back ancestry especially at the time of marriages till today. Kaushik as the last name is mostly seen in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana (Northern India).
for e.g. ARUN KAUSHIK. Kaushik is also commonly used as a first name (mostly used by people in West Bengal,Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Karnataka in India and Bangladesh). for e.g. KAUSHIK RAMASWAMY.
. Chhatrapati is an honorific or an imperial title for an Indian ruler. Shivaji was a king in ancient India, also called Kaushika ("the descendant of Kusha"). He was a valiant warrior and the great-grandson of a great king named Kusha. "There was a king named Kusha (not to be confused with Kusha
, son of Rama
), a brainchild of Prajapati, and Kusha's son was the powerful and verily righteous Kushanaabha. One who is highly renowned by the name Gaadhi was the son of Kushanaabha, and Gaadhi's son is this great-saint of great resplendence, Vishvamitra. Vishvamitra ruled the earth, and this great-resplendent king ruled the kingdom for many thousands of years.It is the Indian counterpart of Shah
, Padishah
or Pasha
(which is a shortening of Pati Kshatra) and also written as Kshetra-Pati, the lord, ruler of a domain and therefore can be compared with the European king. For the Maratha empire, the importance of the title Chhatrapati declined over the years, as first the Peshwa
s (Prime Ministers) and then the Karbharis (chatelains of the Peshwas) came to exceed them in effective power. The European duke (Her+tog=leader of an army) is comparable with the Indian Senapati
. According to the Rigveda
he was son of a king named Kusika, a descendant of Kusa, but later authorities make him the son of Gathin or Gaadhi
, king of Kanyakubja, and a descendant of Puru; so Vishvamitra is declared in the Harivansa to be "at once a Paurava and a Kausika" by lineage. According to some, Gadhi was of the Kusika race, descended from Kusika. Vishvamitra is called Gadhija and Gadhinandana, 'son of Gaadhi
.
The Tulja Bhavani and anthiur temple in Tuljapur
in Osmanabad district
of Maharashtra
is considered as one of the 51 Shakti Pithas. This temple was built in c. 12th century CE. A Tulja Bhavani temple was built between 1537-1540 CE in Chittorgarh
. It is located at coordinates 18.011386°N 76.125641°W.
History: Worship of the primeval energy Shakti in the form of the mother Goddess is seen in the four Shakti Peethas of Maharashtra - Bhavani with her seat at Tuljapur
, Mahalakshmi at Kolhapur, Mahamaya Renuka at Mahur
and Jagadamba at Saptshringi. Other Shakti temples in the state are those at Ambe Jogai and Aundh. (also see Daksha Yagna).
Bhavani was the tutelary deity of Shivaji, the valiant Maratha ruler and is held in great reverence throughout the state of Maharashtra. Bhavani is considered to be an embodiment of Ugra or ferocity, as well as a Karunaswaroopini - filled with mercy.
The Bhavani temple in Tuljapur is located on a hill known as Yamunachala, on the slopes of the Sahayadri range in Maharashtra near Sholapur. The temple entrance is at an elevation and visitors need to transcend a flight of steps to reach the shrine. Historic records speak of the existence of this temple from as early as the 12th century CE.
Bhavani is worshipped in the form of a 3 foot (0.9144 m) granite image, with eight arms holding weapons, bearing the head of the slain demon Mahishasura. Bhavani is also known as Tulaja, Turaja, Tvarita and Amba.
Legend has it that a demon by name Matanga wreaked havoc upon the devas and the humans who approached Bhrahma for help and upon his advice turned to the Mother Goddess Shakti, who took up the form of the destroyer, and powered by the other (Sapta) Maataas Varaahi, Bhrahmi, Vaishnavi, Kaumaari, Indraani and Saambhavi and vanquished him for peace to reign again.
Legend also has it that Bhavani vanquished another demon who had taken the form of a wild buffalo (Mahishasura), and took abode on the Yamunachala hill, which is now home to the temple.
Four worship services are offered each day here. The festivals of significance here are Gudi Padva in the month of Chaitra, Shriral Sashti, Lalita Panchami, Makara Sankranti and Rathasaptami. The deity is taken out in procession on Tuesdays. Navaratri is also celebrated with great fanfare, and it culminates in Vijaya Dasami.
Vishvamitra (Sanskrit विश्वामित्र viśvā-mitra "all-friend") is one of the most venerated rishi
's or sages of ancient times in India. He is also credited as the author of most of Mandala 3 of the Rigveda
, including the revered great Gayatri Mantra. It is a mantra cum prayer and is found in all the three Vedas; Rig, Yajur and Sama Veda. Veda's clearly state that anyone can chant this Mantra, and gain its benefits.
The Puranas
mention that only 24 Rishis since antiquity have understood the whole meaning of, and thus wielded the whole power of, the Gayatri Mantra. Sage Vishvamitra is supposed to be the first, and Sage Yajnavalkya
the last.
Gayatri Mantra is so called because it liberates one who chants it.
In the Indian epic Ramayana
, Vishvamitra is the preceptor
of Rama
, prince of Ayodhya and the seventh Avatar
of Vishnu
, and his brother Lakshmana
. Shri Ram, he who is protected by DharmaveerHanuman
an Avatara of Siva
.
Vishwamitra gives them the knowledge of the Devastras or celestial weaponry [ bala and adi bala ], trains them in advanced religion and guides them to kill powerful demons like Tataka
, Maricha
and Subahu
. He also leads them to the svayamvara ceremony for princess Sita
, who becomes the wife of Rama.
. If Indra, as a deity, is cognate to other Indo-European gods, either thunder gods such as Thor
, Perun
, and Zeus
, or gods of intoxicating drinks such as Dionysos, his name has either not been preserved in any other branch, or else it is itself an Indian (or perhaps Indo-Iranian) innovation.
In historical Vedic religion
, Indra has prominence as the continuation of chief god of the Indo-European pantheon Dyēus
. Dyēus himself appears in the Vedas
as Dyaus Pita
, a relatively minor deity who, interestingly, is the father of Indra. This may derive from the same longstanding father-usurpation pattern
found in Greek mythology, in which even Zeus' offspring by Metis
was predicted to overthrow him, had the resulting child (Athena
) been male. A similar pattern may come into play regarding the relatively low status of Tyr compared to Odin
or Thor
in Norse paganism
(though Tyr has since been posited as Odin's son, instead of his father). Even in ancient Slavic religion, Perun, the Sky God, is the main deity, while his father Svarog
, with his heaven named Svarga (same as Indra's Heaven) was in most areas a less prominent deity.
It was once supposed that Vedic Indra corresponds to Verethragna of the Zoroastrian Avesta
. This idea was based primarily on the fact that the noun verethragna- corresponds to Vedic vrtrahan-, which is predominantly an epithet of Indra. The supposition that Indra corresponds to Verethragna is now controversial. While both vritra- and verethra- derive from the same root "to cover", the word verethra- is today understood to mean "obstacle". Thus, verethragna- is now understood to reflect "smiter of resistance".
Vritra does not appear in either the Avesta or in 9th-12th century books of Zoroastrian tradition. Since the name 'Indra' appears in Zoroastrian texts as that of an arch-demon opposing Truth
(Vd.
10.9; Dk.
9.3; Gbd
. 27.6, 34.27), it may be supposed that Verethragna was a way of reintroducing him in a favourable light.
It further states,
Indra
is, with Varuna
and Mitra
, one of the Ādityas
, the chief personification of God in the Rigveda
(besides Agni
and the Ashvins
). He delights in drinking Soma
, and the central Vedic myth
is his heroic defeat of Vṛtrá
, liberating the rivers
, or alternatively, his smashing of the Vala
, a stone enclosure where the Panis
had imprisoned the cows, and Ushas
(dawn). He is the god of war, smashing the stone fortresses of the Dasyu, and invoked by combatants on both sides in the Battle of the Ten Kings
.
The Rig-Veda frequently refers to him as Śakra: the mighty-one. In the Vedic period, the number of gods was assumed to be thirty-three and Indra was their lord. (The slightly later Brihad-aranyaka Upanishad enumerates the gods as the eight Vasus, the eleven Rudras, the twelve Adityas, Indra, and Prajapati). As lord of the Vasus, Indra was also referred to as Vāsava.
By the age of the Vedanta
, Indra became the prototype for all lords and thus a king could be called Mānavendra (Indra or lord of men) and Rama
, the hero of the Ramayana
, was referred to as Rāghavendra (Indra of the clan of Raghu). Hence the original Indra was also referred to as Devendra (Indra of the Devas). However, Sakra and Vasava were used exclusively for the original Indra.
Though modern texts usually adhere to the name Indra, the traditional Hindu texts (the Vedas, epics and Puranas) use Indra, Sakra and Vasava interchangeably and with the same frequency.
"Of the Vedas I am the Sama Veda; of the demigods I am Indra, the king of heaven; of the senses I am the mind; and in living beings I am the living force [consciousness]." (Bhagavad Gita 10.22) http://www.bhagavad-gita.us/categories/Chapter-Ten-of-the-Bhagavad-Gita/
mythological tales. He leads the Devas
(the gods who form and maintain Heaven
) and the elements, such as Agni
(Fire), Varuna
(Water) and Surya
(Sun), and constantly wages war against the demonic Asura
s of the netherworlds, or Patala
, who oppose morality and dharma
. He thus fights in the timeless battle between good and evil. As the god of war, he is also regarded as one of the Guardians of the directions
, representing the east.
In post-Vedic texts, He is however, ascribed with more human characteristics and vices than any other Vedic deity. Perhaps consequently, he also has the most hymns dedicated to him: 250 (Masson-Oursel and Morin, 326).
Modern Hindus, however tend to see Indra as minor deity in comparison to others in the Hindu pantheon, such as Shiva
, Vishnu
, or Devi
. A Puranic story illustrating the subjugation of Indra's pride is illustrated in the story of
Govardhan hill
where Krishna
, Avatar
or incarnation of Vishnu
carried the hill and protected his devotees when Indra, angered by non-worship of him, launched rains over the village.
In Rig Veda, Indra the solar god is sometimes described as golden-bodied ("Gora
" that means golden-yellowish) with golden jaw, nails, hair, beard.
One Atharva Vedic verse reads, "In Indra are set fast all forms of golden hue."
Yellow or Brown Body
In the Rig Veda, hymn 65 reads, "SAKRA, who is the purifier (of his worshippers), and well-skilled in horses, who is wonderful and golden-bodied." Rig Veda also reads that Indra "is the dancing god who, clothed in perfumed garments, golden-cheeked rides his golden car." One passage calls him both brown and yellow. "Him with the fleece they purify, brown, golden-hued, beloved of all, Who with exhilarating juice goes forth to all the deities"
Yellow Hair
Indra is described in the Rig Veda of dying his hair a yellow colour from yellow Soma juice. One part of the Rig Veda says, "At the swift draught the Soma-drinker waxed in might, the Iron One with yellow beard and yellow hair." The Rig Veda/Mandala 10/Hymn 96
Have I not drunk of Soma juice?"
"Fair cheeks hath Indra, Maghavan, the Victor, Lord of a great host, Stormer, strong in action.
What once thou didst in might when mortals vexed thee, where now, O Bull, are those thy hero exploits?" (RigVeda, Book 3, Hymn XXX: Griffith)
"May the strong Heaven make thee the Strong wax stronger: Strong, for thou art borne by thy two strong Bay Horses. So, fair of cheek, with mighty chariot, mighty, uphold us, strong-willed, thunderarmed, in battle." (RigVeda, Book 5, Hymn XXXVI: Grffith)
Indra's weapon, which he used to kill Vritra
, (with the help of other gods), is the thunderbolt (Vajra
), though he also uses a bow
, a net
, and a hook. He rides a large, four-tusked white elephant called Airavata
. When portrayed having four arms, he has lances in two of his hands which resemble elephant goads. When he is shown to have two, he holds the Vajra and a bow.
Indra lives in Svarga
in the clouds around Mt. Meru. Deceased warriors go to his hall after death, where they live without sadness, pain or fear. They watch the Apsaras and the Gandharvas dance, and play games. The gods of the elements, celestial sages, great kings, and warriors enrich his court.
, the rainbow
is called "Indradhanush
", meaning the bow
(Sanskrit
& Hindi
: dhanush is bow) of Indra, the God of lightning
, thunder
and rain
.
Indra figures as one of the chief deities
in the Rigveda
, celebrated as the slayer of Vṛtra and central to the Soma
sacrifice. He has many epithets, notably the bull, and , slayer of Vṛtra.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n'Gotra
Gotra
In the Hindu society, the term Gotra broadly refers to people who are descendants in an unbroken male line from a common male ancestor. Panini defines gotra for grammatical purposes as apatyam pautraprabhrti gotram , which means "the word gotra denotes the progeny beginning with the son's son"...
' applied to an indo-aryan clan. Origin of Kaushik can be referenced to an ancient Hindu text. There was a Rishi
Rishi
Rishi denotes the composers of Vedic hymns. However, according to post-Vedic tradition, the rishi is a "seer" to whom the Vedas were "originally revealed" through states of higher consciousness. The rishis were prominent when Vedic Hinduism took shape, as far back as some three thousand years...
(saint) by the name of "Vishvamitra" literally meaning 'friend of the universe','vishwa' as in universe and mitra as in 'friend', he was also called as Rishi "Kaushik". Vishvamitra is famous in many legendary stories and in different works of Hindu mythology
Hindu mythology
Hindu religious literature is the large body of traditional narratives related to Hinduism, notably as contained in Sanskrit literature, such as the Sanskrit epics and the Puranas. As such, it is a subset of Nepali and Indian culture...
. It most notably refers to Chhatrapati Shivaji.
Kaushik / Vishwamitra Gotra's
There are two gotras, or lineages, bearing the name of Visvamitra.Kousikh Gotra
People belonging to Kaushika (Kaushik/Kousikh/Kousikasa/Kousikha/Kausika/Ghrit kaushika) Gotra take Rajarishi Kaushika as their root. Kaushika was son of Vishvamitra.11 96 of the royal clans of Marathas belong to Kaushik gotra including the illustrious house of Shivaji and Rashtrakutas. 2 more clans belong to the Vishvamitra gotra. Kaushika gotra also belongs to Baish clan of rajput which includes in the suryavanshi rajput, one of the oldest and biggest Kshatriya/Chattari clan of Vedic India.
Kousikh/Kaushik is a gotra of influential Cchatri´s as well as Brahmins (he who does priestly labour) of Punjab and Haryana also some Anavil Brahmins (Desai) from Gujarat. Brahmins consider themselves the descendants of the seven main sages, Angiras, Bhrugu, Vishvamitra, Kashyap, Vasishtha, Atri and Agasti. Of these sages Vishvamitra was part Kshatriya (descendant of thhouse of Puru) , so Kaushik gotra is also of Kshatriyas.
Its origin lies in the Rig-Veda; ancient Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
language. Kaushik was the son of Kushika an Indian Kshatriya legend.
Visvamitra Gotra People belonging to the Visvamitra Gotra consider Brahmarishi Visvamitra as their ancestor.
There is an off-shoot of "Vishvamitra Gotra" called "Chakita Vishvamitra Gotra". Two explanations have been suggested for this off-shoot. The group is supposed to have sprung from a "surprised" reaction of Vishvamitra. The other, more likely, explanation, is that a group of descendants decided to split from the main group and started their own branch of this line.
Vishvamitra descendants still use Kaushik as their first or last name. This is how majority of the Hindu names were followed. This system of following Rishis' name as the last name was the foundation of "Gautra" in Hindu philosophy. Gautra is used to trace back ancestry especially at the time of marriages till today. Kaushik as the last name is mostly seen in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana (Northern India).
for e.g. ARUN KAUSHIK. Kaushik is also commonly used as a first name (mostly used by people in West Bengal,Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Karnataka in India and Bangladesh). for e.g. KAUSHIK RAMASWAMY.
Chhatrapati Sri Shivaji Raje Bhosale
Shivaji's royal successors also held the title of ChhatrapatiChhatrapati
Chhatrapati is the Indian honorific title equivalent to the European Emperor. It is more formally written as Kshetrapati, from the Sanskrit kshetra- and -pati...
. Chhatrapati is an honorific or an imperial title for an Indian ruler. Shivaji was a king in ancient India, also called Kaushika ("the descendant of Kusha"). He was a valiant warrior and the great-grandson of a great king named Kusha. "There was a king named Kusha (not to be confused with Kusha
Kusha (Ramayana)
Kusha , in Hindu mythology, was one of the twin sons of Lord Rama and Sita . Born in the Forest after Sita had been banished from Ayodhya, they were educated and trained in military skills and were under the care of Sage Valmiki....
, son of Rama
Rama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
), a brainchild of Prajapati, and Kusha's son was the powerful and verily righteous Kushanaabha. One who is highly renowned by the name Gaadhi was the son of Kushanaabha, and Gaadhi's son is this great-saint of great resplendence, Vishvamitra. Vishvamitra ruled the earth, and this great-resplendent king ruled the kingdom for many thousands of years.It is the Indian counterpart of Shah
Shah
Shāh is the title of the ruler of certain Southwest Asian and Central Asian countries, especially Persia , and derives from the Persian word shah, meaning "king".-History:...
, Padishah
Padishah
Padishah, Padshah, Padeshah, Badishah or Badshah is a superlative royal title, composed of the Persian pād "master" and the widespread shāh "king", which was adopted by several monarchs claiming the highest rank, roughly equivalent to the ancient Persian notion of "The Great" or "Great King", and...
or Pasha
Pasha
Pasha or pascha, formerly bashaw, was a high rank in the Ottoman Empire political system, typically granted to governors, generals and dignitaries. As an honorary title, Pasha, in one of its various ranks, is equivalent to the British title of Lord, and was also one of the highest titles in...
(which is a shortening of Pati Kshatra) and also written as Kshetra-Pati, the lord, ruler of a domain and therefore can be compared with the European king. For the Maratha empire, the importance of the title Chhatrapati declined over the years, as first the Peshwa
Peshwa
A Peshwa is the titular equivalent of a modern Prime Minister. Emporer Shivaji created the Peshwa designation in order to more effectively delegate administrative duties during the growth of the Maratha Empire. Prior to 1749, Peshwas held office for 8-9 years and controlled the Maratha army...
s (Prime Ministers) and then the Karbharis (chatelains of the Peshwas) came to exceed them in effective power. The European duke (Her+tog=leader of an army) is comparable with the Indian Senapati
Senapati
Senapati is the Hindi word for general and Mahasenapati means great general. It is cognate with duke or Herzog and like this word means army leader .-List of few Maratha "Senapati" or "Commander-in-Chief":...
. According to the Rigveda
Rigveda
The Rigveda is an ancient Indian sacred collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns...
he was son of a king named Kusika, a descendant of Kusa, but later authorities make him the son of Gathin or Gaadhi
Gaadhi
Gaadhi was the son of Kushanaabha, and father to the great saint of great resplendence, Vishwamitra. Vishwamitra ruled the earth, and this great resplendent king ruled the kingdom for many thousands of years. Gaadhi had a daughter named Satyawati. Satyawati was married to a brahmin known as Richika...
, king of Kanyakubja, and a descendant of Puru; so Vishvamitra is declared in the Harivansa to be "at once a Paurava and a Kausika" by lineage. According to some, Gadhi was of the Kusika race, descended from Kusika. Vishvamitra is called Gadhija and Gadhinandana, 'son of Gaadhi
Gaadhi
Gaadhi was the son of Kushanaabha, and father to the great saint of great resplendence, Vishwamitra. Vishwamitra ruled the earth, and this great resplendent king ruled the kingdom for many thousands of years. Gaadhi had a daughter named Satyawati. Satyawati was married to a brahmin known as Richika...
.
Temples of Bhavani
Tuljapur
Tuljapur is a city and a municipal council in Osmanabad district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the administrative seat of Tuljapur taluka.The town is home to a famous temple, Tulja Bhavani Temple, dedicated to the Hindu goddess Bhavani...
in Osmanabad district
Osmanabad district
-Osmanabad district is an administrative district in the state of Maharashtra in India. The district headquarters are located at Osmanabad, erstwhile Dharashiv . Temple of goddess Tuljabhavani at Tulajapur is famous in India...
of Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
is considered as one of the 51 Shakti Pithas. This temple was built in c. 12th century CE. A Tulja Bhavani temple was built between 1537-1540 CE in Chittorgarh
Chittorgarh
Chittorgarh is a city and a municipality in Rajasthan state of western India. It lies on the Berach River, a tributary of the Banas, and is the administrative headquarters of Chittorgharh District and a former capital of the Sisodia clans of Rajputs of Mewar...
. It is located at coordinates 18.011386°N 76.125641°W.
History: Worship of the primeval energy Shakti in the form of the mother Goddess is seen in the four Shakti Peethas of Maharashtra - Bhavani with her seat at Tuljapur
Tuljapur
Tuljapur is a city and a municipal council in Osmanabad district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the administrative seat of Tuljapur taluka.The town is home to a famous temple, Tulja Bhavani Temple, dedicated to the Hindu goddess Bhavani...
, Mahalakshmi at Kolhapur, Mahamaya Renuka at Mahur
Mahur
Mahur or Mahurgad is a religious place in Maharashtra, India. Mahur is said to be the birth place of Hindu Goddess Renuka, mother of Lord Parshuram. The three and half Shakti Peethas of Maharashtra are Tuljapur enshrining Bhavani, Kolhapur enshrining Mahalakshmi, Mahur enshrining Mahamaya, and...
and Jagadamba at Saptshringi. Other Shakti temples in the state are those at Ambe Jogai and Aundh. (also see Daksha Yagna).
Bhavani was the tutelary deity of Shivaji, the valiant Maratha ruler and is held in great reverence throughout the state of Maharashtra. Bhavani is considered to be an embodiment of Ugra or ferocity, as well as a Karunaswaroopini - filled with mercy.
The Bhavani temple in Tuljapur is located on a hill known as Yamunachala, on the slopes of the Sahayadri range in Maharashtra near Sholapur. The temple entrance is at an elevation and visitors need to transcend a flight of steps to reach the shrine. Historic records speak of the existence of this temple from as early as the 12th century CE.
Bhavani is worshipped in the form of a 3 foot (0.9144 m) granite image, with eight arms holding weapons, bearing the head of the slain demon Mahishasura. Bhavani is also known as Tulaja, Turaja, Tvarita and Amba.
Legend has it that a demon by name Matanga wreaked havoc upon the devas and the humans who approached Bhrahma for help and upon his advice turned to the Mother Goddess Shakti, who took up the form of the destroyer, and powered by the other (Sapta) Maataas Varaahi, Bhrahmi, Vaishnavi, Kaumaari, Indraani and Saambhavi and vanquished him for peace to reign again.
Legend also has it that Bhavani vanquished another demon who had taken the form of a wild buffalo (Mahishasura), and took abode on the Yamunachala hill, which is now home to the temple.
Four worship services are offered each day here. The festivals of significance here are Gudi Padva in the month of Chaitra, Shriral Sashti, Lalita Panchami, Makara Sankranti and Rathasaptami. The deity is taken out in procession on Tuesdays. Navaratri is also celebrated with great fanfare, and it culminates in Vijaya Dasami.
Etymology
The term has various other possible derivations:- From SanskritSanskritSanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
(kshatra, also kshetra [empire/land]+pati [lord/husband]) meaning an emperor - From HindiHindiStandard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
(chatra, also chhatri [umbrella]+pati [lord]) meaning a person worthy of a ceremonial umbrella. - From MarathiMarathi languageMarathi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people of western and central India. It is the official language of the state of Maharashtra. There are over 68 million fluent speakers worldwide. Marathi has the fourth largest number of native speakers in India and is the fifteenth most...
(chatra [roof or umbrella] + Marathi pati [husband]) meaning a king or ruler — Chhatrapati indicates a person who gives shade to his followers and protects their success. - Another possible derivation of Chhatrapati is "Kshatriya"+"Pati" i.e. Leader or Lord of the Kshatriyas or Warriors.
Gayatri Mantra
BrahmarshiBrahmarshi
In Hinduism, a Brahmarshi is a member of the highest class of Rishis , especially those credited with the composition of the hymns collected in the Rigveda....
Vishvamitra (Sanskrit विश्वामित्र viśvā-mitra "all-friend") is one of the most venerated rishi
Rishi
Rishi denotes the composers of Vedic hymns. However, according to post-Vedic tradition, the rishi is a "seer" to whom the Vedas were "originally revealed" through states of higher consciousness. The rishis were prominent when Vedic Hinduism took shape, as far back as some three thousand years...
's or sages of ancient times in India. He is also credited as the author of most of Mandala 3 of the Rigveda
Rigveda
The Rigveda is an ancient Indian sacred collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns...
, including the revered great Gayatri Mantra. It is a mantra cum prayer and is found in all the three Vedas; Rig, Yajur and Sama Veda. Veda's clearly state that anyone can chant this Mantra, and gain its benefits.
The Puranas
Puranas
The Puranas are a genre of important Hindu, Jain and Buddhist religious texts, notably consisting of narratives of the history of the universe from creation to destruction, genealogies of kings, heroes, sages, and demigods, and descriptions of Hindu cosmology, philosophy, and geography.Puranas...
mention that only 24 Rishis since antiquity have understood the whole meaning of, and thus wielded the whole power of, the Gayatri Mantra. Sage Vishvamitra is supposed to be the first, and Sage Yajnavalkya
Yajnavalkya
Yajnavalkya of Mithila was a legendary sage of Vedic India, credited with the authorship of the Shatapatha Brahmana , besides Yogayajnavalkya Samhita and the Yājñavalkya Smṛti...
the last.
| Om Bhur Bhuvah Suvaha We meditate upon the |
Tat Savitur Varenyam glorious splendor of |
Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi the Vivifier Divine. |
Dhiyo Yo Nah Prachodayat May He Himself illumine our minds! |
Gayatri Mantra is so called because it liberates one who chants it.
In the Ramayana
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
, Vishvamitra is the preceptor
Preceptor
A preceptor is a teacher responsible to uphold a certain law or tradition, a precept.-Christian military orders:A preceptor was historically in charge of a preceptory, the headquarters of certain orders of monastic Knights, such as the Knights Hospitaller and Knights Templar, within a given...
of Rama
Rama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
, prince of Ayodhya and the seventh Avatar
Avatar
In Hinduism, an avatar is a deliberate descent of a deity to earth, or a descent of the Supreme Being and is mostly translated into English as "incarnation," but more accurately as "appearance" or "manifestation"....
of Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
, and his brother Lakshmana
Lakshmana
Lakshmana was the brother and close companion of Rama, and himself a hero in the famous epic Ramayana...
. Shri Ram, he who is protected by DharmaveerHanuman
Hanuman
Hanuman , is a Hindu deity, who is an ardent devotee of Rama, a central character in the Indian epic Ramayana and one of the dearest devotees of lord Rama. A general among the vanaras, an ape-like race of forest-dwellers, Hanuman is an incarnation of the divine and a disciple of Lord Rama in the...
an Avatara of Siva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
.
Vishwamitra gives them the knowledge of the Devastras or celestial weaponry [ bala and adi bala ], trains them in advanced religion and guides them to kill powerful demons like Tataka
Tataka
Tatakā or Tadaka was a yakshasi in Indian mythology. Her father Suketu, a yaksha king performed tapasya for an offspring...
, Maricha
Maricha
Maricha or Mareecha was a rakshasa who played a small but important part in the Indian Ramayana epic. He was thrown into a remote island by the arrow of Lord Rama when he tried to interrupt Sage Vishwamitra's yagna. After that he became very afraid of the very mention of the name Rama...
and Subahu
Subahu
Subahu is a rakshasa character in the Ramayana. He and his mother, Tataka, took immense pleasure in harassing the munis of the jungle, especially Vishvamitra, by disrupting their yajnas with rains of flesh and blood....
. He also leads them to the svayamvara ceremony for princess Sita
SITA
SITA is a multinational information technology company specialising in providing IT and telecommunication services to the air transport industry...
, who becomes the wife of Rama.
Origins
Indra is a god of the MitanniMitanni
Mitanni or Hanigalbat was a loosely organized Hurrian-speaking state in northern Syria and south-east Anatolia from ca. 1500 BC–1300 BC...
. If Indra, as a deity, is cognate to other Indo-European gods, either thunder gods such as Thor
Thor
In Norse mythology, Thor is a hammer-wielding god associated with thunder, lightning, storms, oak trees, strength, the protection of mankind, and also hallowing, healing, and fertility...
, Perun
Perun
In Slavic mythology, Perun is the highest god of the pantheon and the god of thunder and lightning. His other attributes were the fire, mountains, the oak, iris, eagle, firmament , horses and carts, weapons and war...
, and Zeus
Zeus
In the ancient Greek religion, Zeus was the "Father of Gods and men" who ruled the Olympians of Mount Olympus as a father ruled the family. He was the god of sky and thunder in Greek mythology. His Roman counterpart is Jupiter and his Etruscan counterpart is Tinia.Zeus was the child of Cronus...
, or gods of intoxicating drinks such as Dionysos, his name has either not been preserved in any other branch, or else it is itself an Indian (or perhaps Indo-Iranian) innovation.
In historical Vedic religion
Historical Vedic religion
The religion of the Vedic period is a historical predecessor of Hinduism. Its liturgy is reflected in the mantra portion of the four Vedas, which are compiled in Sanskrit. The religious practices centered on a clergy administering rites...
, Indra has prominence as the continuation of chief god of the Indo-European pantheon Dyēus
Dyeus
*Dyēus is the reconstructed chief deity of the Proto-Indo-European pantheon. He was the god of the daylight sky, and his position may have mirrored the position of the patriarch or monarch in society....
. Dyēus himself appears in the Vedas
Vedas
The Vedas are a large body of texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism....
as Dyaus Pita
Dyaus Pita
In the Vedic pantheon ' or ' or Dyaus Pitar is the Sky Father, divine consort of the Prithvi and father of Agni, Indra , and Ushas, the daughter representing dawn. In archaic Vedic lore, Dyauṣ Pitṛ and Prithivi Matṛ were one, single composite dvandva entity, named as the Dyavaprthivi...
, a relatively minor deity who, interestingly, is the father of Indra. This may derive from the same longstanding father-usurpation pattern
Cronus
In Greek mythology, Cronus or Kronos was the leader and the youngest of the first generation of Titans, divine descendants of Gaia, the earth, and Uranus, the sky...
found in Greek mythology, in which even Zeus' offspring by Metis
Metis (mythology)
In Greek mythology, Metis was of the Titan generation and, like several primordial figures, an Oceanid, in the sense that Metis was born of Oceanus and Tethys, of an earlier age than Zeus and his siblings...
was predicted to overthrow him, had the resulting child (Athena
Athena
In Greek mythology, Athena, Athenê, or Athene , also referred to as Pallas Athena/Athene , is the goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, warfare, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, justice, and skill. Minerva, Athena's Roman incarnation, embodies similar attributes. Athena is...
) been male. A similar pattern may come into play regarding the relatively low status of Tyr compared to Odin
Odin
Odin is a major god in Norse mythology and the ruler of Asgard. Homologous with the Anglo-Saxon "Wōden" and the Old High German "Wotan", the name is descended from Proto-Germanic "*Wodanaz" or "*Wōđanaz"....
or Thor
Thor
In Norse mythology, Thor is a hammer-wielding god associated with thunder, lightning, storms, oak trees, strength, the protection of mankind, and also hallowing, healing, and fertility...
in Norse paganism
Norse paganism
Norse paganism is the religious traditions of the Norsemen, a Germanic people living in the Nordic countries. Norse paganism is therefore a subset of Germanic paganism, which was practiced in the lands inhabited by the Germanic tribes across most of Northern and Central Europe in the Viking Age...
(though Tyr has since been posited as Odin's son, instead of his father). Even in ancient Slavic religion, Perun, the Sky God, is the main deity, while his father Svarog
Svarog
Svarog is a Slavic deity known primarily from the Hypatian Codex, a Slavic translation of the Chronicle of John Malalas. Svarog is there identified with Hephaestus, the god of the blacksmith in ancient Greek religion, and as the father of Dažbog, a Slavic solar deity...
, with his heaven named Svarga (same as Indra's Heaven) was in most areas a less prominent deity.
It was once supposed that Vedic Indra corresponds to Verethragna of the Zoroastrian Avesta
Avesta
The Avesta is the primary collection of sacred texts of Zoroastrianism, composed in the Avestan language.-Early transmission:The texts of the Avesta — which are all in the Avestan language — were composed over the course of several hundred years. The most important portion, the Gathas,...
. This idea was based primarily on the fact that the noun verethragna- corresponds to Vedic vrtrahan-, which is predominantly an epithet of Indra. The supposition that Indra corresponds to Verethragna is now controversial. While both vritra- and verethra- derive from the same root "to cover", the word verethra- is today understood to mean "obstacle". Thus, verethragna- is now understood to reflect "smiter of resistance".
Vritra does not appear in either the Avesta or in 9th-12th century books of Zoroastrian tradition. Since the name 'Indra' appears in Zoroastrian texts as that of an arch-demon opposing Truth
Asha
Asha is the Avestan language term for a concept of cardinal importance to Zoroastrian theology and doctrine. In the moral sphere, aša/arta represents what has been called "the decisive confessional concept of Zoroastrianism." ...
(Vd.
Vendidad
The Vendidad or Videvdat is a collection of texts within the greater compendium of the Avesta. However, unlike the other texts of the Avesta, the Vendidad is an ecclesiastical code, not a liturgical manual.-Name:...
10.9; Dk.
Denkard
The Dēnkard or Dēnkart is a 10th century compendium of the Mazdaen Zoroastrian beliefs and customs. The Denkard is to a great extent an "Encyclopedia of Mazdaism" and is a most valuable source of information on the religion...
9.3; Gbd
Bundahishn
Bundahishn, meaning "Primal Creation", is the name traditionally given to an encyclopædiaic collections of Zoroastrian cosmogony and cosmology written in Book Pahlavi. The original name of the work is not known....
. 27.6, 34.27), it may be supposed that Verethragna was a way of reintroducing him in a favourable light.
In the Rig Veda
The Rig-Veda states,He under whose supreme control are horses, all chariots, the villages, and cattle;
He who gave being to the Sun and Morning, who leads the waters, He, O men, is Indra. (2.12.7, trans. GriffithRalph T.H. GriffithRalph Thomas Hotchkin Griffith , scholar of indology, Son of B.A. of Queen's College was elected to the vacant Sanskrit Scholarship on Nov 24, 1849. He translated the Vedic scriptures into English. He also produced translations of other Sanskrit literature, including a verse version of the...
)
It further states,
“Indra, you lifted up the outcast who was oppressed, you glorified the blind and the lame.” (Rg-Veda 2:13:12)
Indra
Indra
' or is the King of the demi-gods or Devas and Lord of Heaven or Svargaloka in Hindu mythology. He is also the God of War, Storms, and Rainfall.Indra is one of the chief deities in the Rigveda...
is, with Varuna
Varuna
In Vedic religion, Varuna is a god of the sky, of water and of the celestial ocean, as well as a god of law and of the underworld...
and Mitra
Mitra
*Mitra was an important Indo-Iranian divinity. Following the prehistoric cultural split of Indo-Aryan and Iranian cultures, names descended from *mitra were used for the following religious entities:...
, one of the Ādityas
Ādityas
In Hinduism, Āditya , meaning "of or related to Aditi", refers to the offsprings of Aditi. Adityas are solar class deities. In later Hinduism, Aditya is used in the singular to mean the sun.-Vedas:...
, the chief personification of God in the Rigveda
Rigveda
The Rigveda is an ancient Indian sacred collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns...
(besides Agni
Agni
Agni is a Hindu deity, one of the most important of the Vedic gods. He is the god of fire and the acceptor of sacrifices. The sacrifices made to Agni go to the deities because Agni is a messenger from and to the other gods...
and the Ashvins
Ashvins
The Ashvins , in Hindu mythology, are divine twin horsemen in the Rigveda, sons of Saranya , a goddess of the clouds and wife of Surya in his form as Vivasvat. The Ashvins are Vedic gods symbolising the shining of sunrise and sunset, appearing in the sky before the dawn in a golden chariot,...
). He delights in drinking Soma
Soma
Soma , or Haoma , from Proto-Indo-Iranian *sauma-, was a ritual drink of importance among the early Indo-Iranians, and the subsequent Vedic and greater Persian cultures. It is frequently mentioned in the Rigveda, whose Soma Mandala contains 114 hymns, many praising its energizing qualities...
, and the central Vedic myth
Vedic mythology
Vedic mythology refers to the mythological aspects of the historical Vedic religion and Vedic literature, most notably alluded to in the hymns of the Rigveda...
is his heroic defeat of Vṛtrá
Vritra
In the early Vedic religion, Vritra , is an Asura and also a serpent or dragon, the personification of drought and enemy of Indra. Vritra was also known in the Vedas as Ahi...
, liberating the rivers
Rigvedic rivers
Rivers, such as the Sapta Sindhu , play a prominent part in the hymns of the Rigveda, and consequently in early Vedic religion...
, or alternatively, his smashing of the Vala
Vala (Vedic)
Vala , meaning "enclosure" in Vedic Sanskrit, is an Asura of the Rigveda and the Atharvaveda, the brother of Vrtra.Historically, it has the same origin as the Vrtra myth, being derived from the same root, and from the same root also as Varuna, *val-/var- "to cover, to enclose" .Parallel to Vrtra...
, a stone enclosure where the Panis
Panis
The Panis are a class of demons in the Rigveda, from , a term for "bargainer, miser," especially applied to one who is sparing of sacrificial oblations. The Panis appear in RV 10.108 as watchers over stolen cows. They are located behind the stream Rasā, and sought out by Sarama, the female dog...
had imprisoned the cows, and Ushas
Ushas
Ushas , Sanskrit for "dawn", is a Vedic deity, and consequently a Hindu deity as well.Sanskrit is an s-stem, i.e. the genitive case is . It is from PIE , cognate to Greek Eos and Latin Aurora....
(dawn). He is the god of war, smashing the stone fortresses of the Dasyu, and invoked by combatants on both sides in the Battle of the Ten Kings
Battle of the Ten Kings
Battle of the Ten Kings is a battle alluded to in Mandala 7 of the Rigveda , the ancient Indian sacred collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns. It is a battle between Aryans...
.
By the age of the Vedanta
Vedanta
Vedānta was originally a word used in Hindu philosophy as a synonym for that part of the Veda texts known also as the Upanishads. The name is a morphophonological form of Veda-anta = "Veda-end" = "the appendix to the Vedic hymns." It is also speculated that "Vedānta" means "the purpose or goal...
, Indra became the prototype for all lords and thus a king could be called Mānavendra (Indra or lord of men) and Rama
Rama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
, the hero of the Ramayana
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
, was referred to as Rāghavendra (Indra of the clan of Raghu). Hence the original Indra was also referred to as Devendra (Indra of the Devas). However, Sakra and Vasava were used exclusively for the original Indra.
Though modern texts usually adhere to the name Indra, the traditional Hindu texts (the Vedas, epics and Puranas) use Indra, Sakra and Vasava interchangeably and with the same frequency.
"Of the Vedas I am the Sama Veda; of the demigods I am Indra, the king of heaven; of the senses I am the mind; and in living beings I am the living force [consciousness]." (Bhagavad Gita 10.22) http://www.bhagavad-gita.us/categories/Chapter-Ten-of-the-Bhagavad-Gita/
Status and function
Indra is an important god in many post-Vedic and HinduHindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
mythological tales. He leads the Devas
Deva (Hinduism)
' is the Sanskrit word for god or deity, its related feminine term is devi. In modern Hinduism, it can be loosely interpreted as any benevolent supernatural beings. The devs in Hinduism, also called Suras, are often juxtaposed to the Asuras, their half brothers. Devs are also the maintainers of...
(the gods who form and maintain Heaven
Heaven
Heaven, the Heavens or Seven Heavens, is a common religious cosmological or metaphysical term for the physical or transcendent place from which heavenly beings originate, are enthroned or inhabit...
) and the elements, such as Agni
Agni
Agni is a Hindu deity, one of the most important of the Vedic gods. He is the god of fire and the acceptor of sacrifices. The sacrifices made to Agni go to the deities because Agni is a messenger from and to the other gods...
(Fire), Varuna
Varuna
In Vedic religion, Varuna is a god of the sky, of water and of the celestial ocean, as well as a god of law and of the underworld...
(Water) and Surya
Surya
Surya Suraya or Phra Athit is the chief solar deity in Hinduism, one of the Adityas, son of Kasyapa and one of his wives, Aditi; of Indra; or of Dyaus Pitar . The term Surya also refers to the Sun, in general. Surya has hair and arms of gold...
(Sun), and constantly wages war against the demonic Asura
Asura
-In Hinduism:In Hinduism, the Asuras constitute a group of power-seeking deities, sometimes considered sinful and materialistic. The Daityas and Danavas were combinedly known as Asuras. The Asura were opposed to the Devas. Both groups are children of Kasyapa...
s of the netherworlds, or Patala
Patala
Patala is a town and a nagar panchayat in Ghaziabad district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.-Demographics: India census, Patala had a population of 9730. Males constitute 54% of the population and females 46%. Patala has an average literacy rate of 61%, higher than the national average of...
, who oppose morality and dharma
Dharma
Dharma means Law or Natural Law and is a concept of central importance in Indian philosophy and religion. In the context of Hinduism, it refers to one's personal obligations, calling and duties, and a Hindu's dharma is affected by the person's age, caste, class, occupation, and gender...
. He thus fights in the timeless battle between good and evil. As the god of war, he is also regarded as one of the Guardians of the directions
Guardians of the directions
The Guardians of the Directions are the deities who rule the specific directions of space according to Hinduism and Buddhism—especially...
, representing the east.
In post-Vedic texts, He is however, ascribed with more human characteristics and vices than any other Vedic deity. Perhaps consequently, he also has the most hymns dedicated to him: 250 (Masson-Oursel and Morin, 326).
Modern Hindus, however tend to see Indra as minor deity in comparison to others in the Hindu pantheon, such as Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
, Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
, or Devi
Devi
Devī is the Sanskrit word for Goddess, used mostly in Hinduism, its related masculine term is deva. Devi is synonymous with Shakti, the female aspect of the divine, as conceptualized by the Shakta tradition of Hinduism. She is the female counterpart without whom the male aspect, which represents...
. A Puranic story illustrating the subjugation of Indra's pride is illustrated in the story of
Govardhan hill
Govardhan hill
Govardhan is a hill located near the town of Vrindavan, in the Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh, India. It considered as sacred by a number of traditions within Hinduism....
where Krishna
Krishna
Krishna is a central figure of Hinduism and is traditionally attributed the authorship of the Bhagavad Gita. He is the supreme Being and considered in some monotheistic traditions as an Avatar of Vishnu...
, Avatar
Avatar
In Hinduism, an avatar is a deliberate descent of a deity to earth, or a descent of the Supreme Being and is mostly translated into English as "incarnation," but more accurately as "appearance" or "manifestation"....
or incarnation of Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
carried the hill and protected his devotees when Indra, angered by non-worship of him, launched rains over the village.
Appearance
Gora
Gora may refer to:*Gora , a clan of Jats found in north India*Gora or gaura, a Hindi and Indo-Aryan word for a light-skinned person*Gora , by Indian Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore...
" that means golden-yellowish) with golden jaw, nails, hair, beard.
One Atharva Vedic verse reads, "In Indra are set fast all forms of golden hue."
Yellow or Brown Body
In the Rig Veda, hymn 65 reads, "SAKRA, who is the purifier (of his worshippers), and well-skilled in horses, who is wonderful and golden-bodied." Rig Veda also reads that Indra "is the dancing god who, clothed in perfumed garments, golden-cheeked rides his golden car." One passage calls him both brown and yellow. "Him with the fleece they purify, brown, golden-hued, beloved of all, Who with exhilarating juice goes forth to all the deities"
Yellow Hair
Indra is described in the Rig Veda of dying his hair a yellow colour from yellow Soma juice. One part of the Rig Veda says, "At the swift draught the Soma-drinker waxed in might, the Iron One with yellow beard and yellow hair." The Rig Veda/Mandala 10/Hymn 96
Other Characteristics
"Like violent gusts of wind the draughts that I have drunk have lifted meHave I not drunk of Soma juice?"
"Fair cheeks hath Indra, Maghavan, the Victor, Lord of a great host, Stormer, strong in action.
What once thou didst in might when mortals vexed thee, where now, O Bull, are those thy hero exploits?" (RigVeda, Book 3, Hymn XXX: Griffith)
"May the strong Heaven make thee the Strong wax stronger: Strong, for thou art borne by thy two strong Bay Horses. So, fair of cheek, with mighty chariot, mighty, uphold us, strong-willed, thunderarmed, in battle." (RigVeda, Book 5, Hymn XXXVI: Grffith)
Indra's weapon, which he used to kill Vritra
Vritra
In the early Vedic religion, Vritra , is an Asura and also a serpent or dragon, the personification of drought and enemy of Indra. Vritra was also known in the Vedas as Ahi...
, (with the help of other gods), is the thunderbolt (Vajra
Vajra
Vajra is a Sanskrit word meaning both thunderbolt and diamond...
), though he also uses a bow
Bow (weapon)
The bow and arrow is a projectile weapon system that predates recorded history and is common to most cultures.-Description:A bow is a flexible arc that shoots aerodynamic projectiles by means of elastic energy. Essentially, the bow is a form of spring powered by a string or cord...
, a net
Indra's net
Indra's net is a metaphor used to illustrate the concepts of emptiness, dependent origination, and interpenetration in Buddhist philosophy...
, and a hook. He rides a large, four-tusked white elephant called Airavata
Airavata
Airavata is a mythological white elephant who carries the Hindu god Indra. It is also called 'Ardha-Matanga', meaning "elephant of the clouds"; 'Naga-malla', meaning "the fighting elephant"; and 'Arkasodara', meaning "brother of the sun". 'Abharamu' is the elephant wife of Airavata. Airavata has...
. When portrayed having four arms, he has lances in two of his hands which resemble elephant goads. When he is shown to have two, he holds the Vajra and a bow.
Indra lives in Svarga
Svarga
In Hinduism, Svarga is a set of heavenly worlds located on and above Mt. Meru. It is a heaven where the righteous live in a paradise before their next reincarnation...
in the clouds around Mt. Meru. Deceased warriors go to his hall after death, where they live without sadness, pain or fear. They watch the Apsaras and the Gandharvas dance, and play games. The gods of the elements, celestial sages, great kings, and warriors enrich his court.
"Indradhanush", the bow of Indra: Rainbow
In Hindu mythologyHindu mythology
Hindu religious literature is the large body of traditional narratives related to Hinduism, notably as contained in Sanskrit literature, such as the Sanskrit epics and the Puranas. As such, it is a subset of Nepali and Indian culture...
, the rainbow
Rainbow
A rainbow is an optical and meteorological phenomenon that causes a spectrum of light to appear in the sky when the Sun shines on to droplets of moisture in the Earth's atmosphere. It takes the form of a multicoloured arc...
is called "Indradhanush
Indradhanush
Indradhanush was an Indian children's television series, a mixture of Sci-Fiction and Fantasy, aired on DD National channel. The series aired on every Sundays, and was produced and directed by Anand Mahendra.- Plot :...
", meaning the bow
Bow (weapon)
The bow and arrow is a projectile weapon system that predates recorded history and is common to most cultures.-Description:A bow is a flexible arc that shoots aerodynamic projectiles by means of elastic energy. Essentially, the bow is a form of spring powered by a string or cord...
(Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
& Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
: dhanush is bow) of Indra, the God of lightning
Lightning
Lightning is an atmospheric electrostatic discharge accompanied by thunder, which typically occurs during thunderstorms, and sometimes during volcanic eruptions or dust storms...
, thunder
Thunder
Thunder is the sound made by lightning. Depending on the nature of the lightning and distance of the listener, thunder can range from a sharp, loud crack to a long, low rumble . The sudden increase in pressure and temperature from lightning produces rapid expansion of the air surrounding and within...
and rain
Rain
Rain is liquid precipitation, as opposed to non-liquid kinds of precipitation such as snow, hail and sleet. Rain requires the presence of a thick layer of the atmosphere to have temperatures above the melting point of water near and above the Earth's surface...
.
Indra figures as one of the chief deities
Rigvedic deities
There are 1028 hymns in the Rigveda, most of them dedicated to specific deities.Indra, a heroic god, slayer of Vrtra and destroyer of the Vala, liberator of the cows and the rivers; Agni the sacrificial fire and messenger of the gods; and Soma the ritual drink dedicated to Indra are the most...
in the Rigveda
Rigveda
The Rigveda is an ancient Indian sacred collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns...
, celebrated as the slayer of Vṛtra and central to the Soma
Soma
Soma , or Haoma , from Proto-Indo-Iranian *sauma-, was a ritual drink of importance among the early Indo-Iranians, and the subsequent Vedic and greater Persian cultures. It is frequently mentioned in the Rigveda, whose Soma Mandala contains 114 hymns, many praising its energizing qualities...
sacrifice. He has many epithets, notably the bull, and , slayer of Vṛtra.